YouB次元官网网址檝e been there. Waiting in traffic for what feels like ages to get in and out of Victoria on the Trans-Canada Highway.

The phenomenon is referred to as the B次元官网网址淐olwood Crawl,B次元官网网址� but it doesnB次元官网网址檛 actually run through Colwood.

Former Colwood Mayor Carol Hamilton said she thinks the term was coined around 2009 and stuck around because itB次元官网网址檚 one of the more catchy nicknames for the traffic snarl that keeps people waiting in their cars for close to an hour most days.

B次元官网网址淚t rolled a bit easier than what we like to refer to as the Malahat Mess, the Langford Languish, the Saanich Snarl, the View Royal Vortex B次元官网网址� they settled on the Colwood Crawl,B次元官网网址� Hamilton said.

READ MORE: View Royal mayor calls for region and province to meet about transportation issues

Hamilton noted her work with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure in the past years has identified that the traffic issue isnB次元官网网址檛 directly in Colwood. She said it has just become one of those terms that will be hard to shake until transportation isnB次元官网网址檛 a problem anymore.

Hamilton said a lot of the traffic problems start before Langford and continue on due to various issues such as overpass lanes that drivers use to skirt around traffic, or points of converging traffic.

And while the highway doesnB次元官网网址檛 run through Colwood, Hamilton said the traffic problems get pushed out to neighbouring communities when drivers use smaller neighbourhood roads to try and surpass highway traffic.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檒l go twice the distance dipsy-doodling just so they donB次元官网网址檛 have to stop,B次元官网网址� Hamilton said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not sure how many cars they beat at the end of the day but they think itB次元官网网址檚 faster.B次元官网网址�

READ MORE: Heavy traffic leads to slow commute from West Shore into Victoria

Hamilton said it wouldnB次元官网网址檛 hurt for municipalities to have a larger, overarching plan for roads and access. However, she said when there are so many partners working together, it can get tricky. B次元官网网址淢unicipalities, at the end of the day, have rule over their own roads.B次元官网网址�

Hamilton also said a big reason for traffic issues is the number of single-occupant vehicles on the road.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know that weB次元官网网址檙e going to get away from that, I donB次元官网网址檛 think weB次元官网网址檙e going to have families choosing to live in condos downtown,B次元官网网址� Hamilton said. B次元官网网址淎nd yet we need to service downtown in a way that keeps traffic moving.B次元官网网址�

SheB次元官网网址檚 hoping that there will be continued interest throughout the region to collaborate on what solutions to traffic problems might look like.

shalu.mehta@goldstreamgazette.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on